This invention relates to the extruding of comestibles from an automated mechanism. More particularly, this invention relates to a hand-operated electrified piston-type dispenser for viscous or pasty comestibles.
The dispensing or extruding of comestibles such as cookie dough, icing, or the like, can involve manual dispensing from a squeezable container or alternately, a manually operated push rod or plunger and cylinder mechanism. Ease of cleaning and sanitation are important considerations for such food product dispensers. The former mechanism, having a throw-away type container, has no sanitation problem. Reuseable squeezable containers and the latter type mechanism, however, must be easily disassembled to permit cleaning of the parts.
The dispensing or extruding of similar materials such as grouting, caulking, adhesives, or sealant products in the building industry, as well as other semi-fluid or paste-like materials, such as shaving cream, toothpaste, or the like, using mechanisms wherein a non-rotatable piston is urged by a rotating piston rod to travel in a cylinder to dispense such material therefrom is known in the art. For example, Harwood U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,387; Hunegs U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,345; and Block et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,810 show manual apparatus wherein a threaded piston rod is manually rotated to force a piston non-rotatably toward one end of a cylinder containing such viscous materials to dispense the materials from a suitable nozzle or the like. In each patent, cooperating means are provided between the inner wall of the cylinder and the outer edge of the piston to prevent rotation of the piston as it travels down the barrel or cylinder of the dispensing apparatus.
It is also known to automate dispensing apparatus by engaging the piston rod to a drive mechanism coupled to a motor. For example, Frenzel et al Reissue U.S. Pat. No. 26,180 shows a mechanism wherein a piston rod having a piston secured to the end thereof is non-rotatably urged as a unit down a barrel to drive out an adhesive or sealant contained in the barrel. Automated comestible dispensing apparatus such as Schafer U.S. Pat. No. 3,242,881 utilizes a gear having a centrally threaded aperture for engaging the threads of a rod having a plunger thereon. Rotation of the gear urges the non-rotating rod and plunger down a barrel by a motor drive mechanism coupled thereto.
There exists a need, however, for an uncomplicated hand-operated automated mechanism for the dispensing of comestibles in a sanitary fashion whereby the parts of the dispensing apparatus contacting the comestibles can be easily disassembled by an ordinary person without any particular mechanical skill thus permitting sanitary cleaning and simple reassembly of at least those portions of the dispensing apparatus. In contrast, piston and piston rod mechanisms, as in the aforesaid Frenzel et al and Schafer patented automated dispensing apparatus, not being easily disassembled, are not satisfactory from the standpoint of sanitation.